


Rhife Week 2020

by BeccaBear93



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daycare, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Real World, Daycare Worker Cloud Strife, Established Relationship, Ficlet Collection, Final Fantasy VII Remake Spoilers, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Single Parent Andrea Rhodea, Single Parents, Weddings, tumblr: rhifeweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:53:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24207757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaBear93/pseuds/BeccaBear93
Summary: My entries for Rhife Week on tumblr.
Relationships: Andrea Rhodea & Original Child Character(s), Andrea Rhodea/Cloud Strife, Cloud Strife & Original Child Character(s), Ms. Folia & Cloud Strife
Comments: 28
Kudos: 58





	1. Day One: Fantasy | Reality

**Author's Note:**

> Oops, I forgot about day 1, so I'm just going to post it and day 2 at the same time. Since most of my focus is still on Dancing Queen (and a few other big side projects), these are probably all just going to be very short ficlet word vomit in all honesty. I wanted to contribute at least a little bit, though, because I'm hoping this little ship will grow! XD
> 
> (I know, I know, "little" is very subjective. Trust me, I have rarepairs that don't even exist on AO3 lol)
> 
> I probably won't use both prompts every day, but I did for the first two.

The first few days of their relationship feel like something out of a fantasy. Never in a million years would Cloud have guessed that he’d someday end up as the kind of person that gets teased for truly disgusting amounts of PDA, but that’s exactly what happens. For a while, he and Andrea practically live in each other’s pockets, and their friend groups mesh surprisingly well. They quickly start on an unspoken goal of exploring every upscale restaurant and tiny dive bar they can find in Midgar (and everything in between).

As time passes, the reality that starts to become clearer is… more complicated. Andrea has rehearsals and performances and a business to run and a city to hold together; Cloud has monsters and odd jobs and slums to protect. They have to get back to normal life eventually, and it starts to feel like the only time they see each other is when they agree on a time to go train at the gym together. Andrea gets jealous. Cloud starts fights that even _he_ doesn’t know the real reason for. They’re both too proud to apologize. It’s hard, and sometimes it feels like their friends are the only glue holding them together.

They find a way to make it work, though. They move in together faster than is probably entirely sane, and squeeze in a meal or some sleep together whenever they can. Andrea eventually realizes that Cloud is truly oblivious to the many people who flirt with him, and Cloud eventually learns how to process and verbalize his own emotions. (They’re both still working on the apologizing part, but some progress is better than none at all.)

It’s not perfect, it’s not a fantasy, but relationships never are. So they put in the work and find that, together, they can make reality something close.


	2. Day Two: Kiss | Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for spoilers for the FFVIIR ending!

It hurts to think too long about what messing with Destiny _actually_ means. They didn’t just change the future; they changed the past, and the present, and some days it’s hard to tell what actually happened and what didn’t. Sometimes it feels like someone’s missing, or like there’s an extra person where there shouldn’t be one.

Cloud’s dramatic meeting with Andrea starts to feel like a dream, because in some timeline, they never met. In some world, his mission to Don Corneo’s mansion was nothing more than a whisper that barely reached Andrea Rhodea’s ears, passed along by his Honeygirls and boys. Cloud isn’t sure anymore whether that world was this one or not.

When they meet (for the first time?) years later, they dance (again?). The smile on Andrea’s face says that he remembers too, regardless of whether it was really _them_ or not, and that’s enough. And at the end of the night, the way Andrea kisses him says that he’s missed him too, and Cloud decides that whether their first meeting was a dream or memory doesn’t matter, because they have the present now.


	3. Day Three: Fashion | Honeybee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a weird style with shorter stuff, a lot of the time. It tends to come out more like my more personal writing, so I'm sorry if it's annoying to anyone. I think I enjoy going back to this style every once in a while, though.

He hates this part.

The standing still, the measurements and poking and prodding and 500 tiny adjustments being made. The careful examination by once-strangers, now more bearable as they’re something close to friends, but still uncomfortable. The endless waiting and waiting and waiting. It all drives Cloud insane.

The Honeybee Inn workers made it seem so quick and easy that first time, but really, they just got lucky. The dress they had on hand from Sam might not have been the best, but it was good enough for what they needed, and most importantly, it _fit_.

 _Perfection_ , on the other hand, takes _time_ , as Andrea always likes to say. Annoying, unlimited _time_.

(Later, it will be better. Later, Andrea will do his hair and his makeup and have him walk up and down the room and twirl like it’s a catwalk. Later, Cloud will pretend that he hates this part, too, but he knows that neither of them will be convinced. Later, he will feel more beautiful than uncomfortable, and Andrea will watch him with an intensity that shakes him to his very core. Later, he will model his gorgeous new clothes until both of them finally give in, and they wind up piled on the floor instead.)


	4. Day Four: Alternate Universe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for today was Alternate Universe | Gender, and I decided to stick with Alternate Universe. I... literally just went through the canonical tags looking for cheesy AUs, and when I saw the "Alternate Universe - Daycare" tag, I suddenly got a very vivid image of exasperated daycare worker Cloud falling on his ass in the dirt. So I guess this was the result lol
> 
> This one... actually doesn't have much Andrea/Cloud, to be honest. I had a lot of fun with it anyways, though, as is probably evident from the fact that it's... three times as long as the other three combined XD; I always forget how much I like writing children until I actually do it.

Folia’s daycare wouldn’t have been Cloud’s first choice for a place to work.

It wouldn’t have even been his tenth.

But work was scarce and she needed the help, especially when she took on a mysterious second job (which she _still_ refuses to talk about). So she’d asked a friend for a favor, and that friend came to _him_ , and… this is where he ended up.

On his ass in the dirt, wondering how the hell the kids always have more energy than him and manage to outrun him so often. Ten feet away, a little boy with curly brown hair and a permanent grin taunts him, thumbs in his ears and tongue sticking out. Cloud does his best to push down any urges to murder the brat.

It’s not always bad, of course. Most of the children are fairly well-behaved, and watching how fast they grow up is crazy in the best kind of way. He’s even grown to enjoy leading them through art lessons (not that he’s all that great at art, but you don’t exactly have to be Picasso to impress a bunch of five-year-olds) and occasionally being used as a human jungle gym. But god, when they’re bad, they’re _terrible_.

“Need some help?” an amused voice asks, and a hand appears in front of Cloud’s face. He glances up to find Andrea Rhodea smirking down at him and reluctantly accepts the help up. “I hope Theo hasn’t been _too_ much of a handful today.”

Cloud glances to the empty space where Theo had been standing just a minute ago and rolls his eyes. He’s pretty sure the little shit and his father were put on this planet specifically to torment him, albeit in very different ways. “Not at all,” he lies. He doesn’t try to fake a smile; Folia told him ages ago that his fake smile was much worse than his usually blank expression and that he’d scare the children if he did it around them. “I was just playing tag with him and a few of the other kids.” That part, at least, isn’t technically a lie.

“Is that how you ended up on the ground?” Andrea asks, eyebrow raised.

“Yep.” He brushes the dirt off his pants as subtly as he can, which… really isn’t subtle at all, unfortunately.

“Sorry about that.”

“Not your fault. I’ll go get him and let him know it’s time to go home.”

“Thanks.”

Cloud nods and heads inside. The boy is nowhere to be found, of course. “Theo!” he calls. He knocks on the bathroom door; no response. “Your father’s here!” There still no answer. Cloud glances nervously towards the door and starts hunting in earnest; what the hell will Andrea think if he loses his kid? What the hell will _Folia_ say?

He checks under the kitchen counter, in the closets, behind the crate of rubber balls. Nothing. The panic really starts to set it in, and it’s not just about what the others will think anymore. He’s _lost_ a fucking _child!_ Cloud gets down on all fours and crawls around, looking under each of the tables. _Nothing_. He bites his lip, nearly ready to go out and beg for Andrea’s help and forgiveness, when he hears a quiet sniffle. He freezes, listening carefully, and manages to pinpoint the next one.

Being very careful not to make a sound, Cloud rises to his feet and makes his way over to the stack of naptime mats in the corner. “ _There_ you are,” he breathes in relief when he peers around them to find Theo sitting on the floor. The boy scrubs at his eyes and shoots to his feet, sprinting past Cloud before he has a chance to react. _What the hell?_ He gives chase, only catching up when Theo runs outside and crashes into his father, clinging tightly to his legs.

“What’s wrong?” Andrea asks, trying to squat down to look his son in the eyes. Theo doesn’t let him, only clings tighter and shakes his head with another sniffle. Andrea looks to Cloud for some idea of what’s going on, but all he can do is shake his head with a shrug. He doesn’t know, either. “Okay, baby, let’s just go home, huh?” Theo nods and finally pulls away, holding up his arms in a clear request. His father picks him up, and he wraps his arms around his neck in a tight hug. “Thanks, Cloud. We’ll see you tomorrow,” Andrea says, though he sounds unsettled. Cloud nods wordlessly.

As they walk away, he can just barely make out Theo’s wavering words. “I think Mr. Cloud hates me…”

_Oh._

* * *

“You okay?” Folia asks, sitting down next to him on the steps that lead out to their tiny playground. She watches the children play, but Cloud just stares past, barely seeing them. “You’ve been over here for a while.”

“… I’m an asshole, aren’t I?”

She laughs. Teasingly, she answers, “ _Well_ , now that you mention it…” Folia tilts her head curiously and rests a hand on his shoulder. “Seriously, though, what happened to make you say that?”

“Theo thinks I hate him. He hid from me and went home crying.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much; kids get emotional. It happens. Besides… you _do_ kinda hate him, don’t you?”

“No!” Cloud says, eyes wide as he finally turns to look at her. He cringes. “I mean… not _really_. He pisses me off, sure, but that’s just because he’s a dumb kid who does dumb kid things! I don’t _hate_ him, Jesus…”

Folia hums thoughtfully before standing up. “Well, he’ll probably have forgotten all about it by tomorrow. And if not, then… Why not just try _telling_ him that?” She’s gone before he can say anything else, running off to stop a toddler from shoving a bug in his mouth. Cloud’s eyes narrow as he considers her words, and then he stands with a sigh. He _does_ still have a job to do, even if she’d probably let him get away with slacking off for a while.

* * *

Theo definitely _hasn_ _’t_ forgotten by the next day. He clings to his father more than usual when he gets dropped off, and Andrea sighs and gives an apologetic shrug. It isn’t until Cloud leaves and Folia takes his place that they finally manage to convince the kid to come inside.

All day, Theo is quieter than usual and avoids Cloud like the plague, coloring at the table in the corner. At some point in the afternoon, Cloud finally manages to catch him when he’s not paying attention and sits down on the other side of the table with a piece of paper. “Hey kiddo,” he says quietly. “Mind if I use some of the crayons?”

Theo stares at him for a moment, emotions clearly fighting with his desire to follow the lessons they teach the kids about sharing. Eventually, he silently shoves the box into the center of the table and continues scribbling in his coloring book. Cloud grabs a yellow one and starts drawing, random lines until he settles on something tangible. He catches Theo sneaking peeks at it but doesn’t say anything until the boy seems a little more at ease.

Finally, he looks up. “Theo?” he tries. The boy hums questioningly but doesn’t meet his eyes. “You know I don’t hate you, right?” Theo’s head jerks up, and he stares at him with wide, scared eyes, so he explains, “I heard what you said to your dad yesterday, but I really don’t.”

Theo’s lips purse as he considers this. After a minute, he asks, “…Promise?”

Cloud chuckles, relieved. “I promise.”

“…Okay,” he says before going back to his coloring. Cloud stares for a bit, wondering if it could really be that easy, before following his lead. After a few minutes, Theo glances up shyly and asks, “Whatcha coloring?”

Cloud holds up his paper and points to the vase on the windowsill. “The flowers Aerith brought us the other day.”

He examines the picture for a moment before nodding in satisfaction. “They’re really pretty.”

“Yeah, they are.”

“I’m coloring a dinosaur,” he says, pushing his book across the table for Cloud to see.

“That’s cool.”

“Yeah, they’re my favorites.”

Cloud falls silent, cursing his own inability to make conversation that isn’t horribly stilted, but luckily, Theo doesn’t seem to notice. When he finally finishes his picture, he tears it out of the book and says with a proud smile, “I’m gonna give it to Daddy. He always puts my pictures on the fridge and says they’re bootiful.”

“Well, I think he’s right,” Cloud says, chest tightening.

Theo gives him a long look before heading for the bookcase and bringing back his favorite book. (Well, his favorite as of storytime last Tuesday, anyways. It seems to change every week or two.) He shoves it under Cloud's nose and asks, “Mr. Cloud, will you read to me?”

“Sure, kiddo,” he answers, pushing his paper aside and setting the book on the table. He scoots over to make some room next to him, but Theo plops down on his lap instead. Cloud freezes for a moment before wrapping an arm around him to make sure he doesn’t fall over. Then he opens the book and starts reading, but Theo stops him after a few pages.

“You’re doing it wrong!” he complains.

“…Huh?”

“You have to do the voices!”

Cloud makes a face behind Theo’s head but withholds a sigh. He starts again, attempting to do the silly character voices, and Theo stays quiet through the rest of the book.

“You’re not as good at that as Ms. Folia,” he says with a giggle when they finish.

“I know, kid. Sorry.”

Theo goes silent for a minute, kicking one foot with the other. Cloud waits. “…Thank you, Mr. Cloud.”

Cloud ruffles his hair in response, but Theo just looks up at him expectantly. Right. Leading by example. “You’re welcome, Theo,” he says, and the boy grins at him. Then he suddenly leans in, arms latching around him. Cloud stiffens, but returns the hug after a few seconds, breath catching in his throat.

* * *

“Theo told me yesterday was the best day he’s had in the whole time he’s been coming here,” Andrea says with a knowing smile when he comes to drop his son off the next morning. “He couldn’t stop raving about it all night.”

“That’s good,” Cloud says awkwardly.

“And he said it’s all because of you.”

“Uh, well…” His hand comes up to rub at the back of his neck, and he quickly forces it back down.

“I don’t suppose you’d let me take you out to dinner tomorrow as thanks?”

It’s not the first time he’s asked. It’s not even the first time Cloud’s been tempted to say yes. But Andrea’s grin seems twice as bright as usual, and it’s starting to mess with his head. _Stay professional,_ he reminds himself. “Who would watch Theo, then?” Not the most solid rejection, he realizes too late.

The other man’s smile only widens. “I have a friend who’d be willing to take him for the night. Or we could stay in and order some takeout, if you prefer. I’d offer to cook, but I fear that would scare you away,” he jokes.

“I, um…” Folia catches his attention, walking by behind Andrea’s back. Her eyes widen, and she makes frantic, meaningless gestures at Andrea. Cloud understands anyways, and although he’d never let her make a decision like this for him, it’s the last nudge he needs. “Sure.” The other man’s eyes widen in surprise. “Um, the second one, I mean. If that’s okay with you.” The idea of forcing Theo out of his own house for a date, when he already has to spend his days away from his father, feels cruel.

“Of course.” Andrea glances behind Cloud to check that the children are distracted, then grabs his hand and brings it up to his lips. “I’ll look forward to it,” he says with that blinding smile.

“Y-yeah. Me too.”

* * *

“I knew it,” Folia whispers in a sing-song voice after Andrea leaves.

“Shut up,” Cloud says, but there’s no heat to it, and if the way she looks at him and laughs is any indication, his face is probably still bright red.

“Really, though,” she says, smile softening. “I’m happy for you.”

“…Thanks.”

“But!” Cloud flinches back a bit from the sudden jump in volume. “I know I gave you permission yesterday, but… Now that Theo doesn’t think you hate him anymore, you’d better not start playing favorites. No more spending the whole day with him and leaving me to handle the rest of the kids on my own!”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Good. As long as we’re clear. Now get out there and help them run off some of that energy! I can only keep up with them for so long before I have to give up and lie in the grass.”

Cloud laughs. “I know what you mean,” he says, letting her shoo him out the door.

Folia sits down on the step and watches him chase the kids around. “You’ve really changed since you first came here,” she says, smiling to herself.


	5. Day Five: Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The prompts today were Family | Promise, and I decided to go with Family. This is a continuation of yesterday's, because I actually had a lot of fun with it and it wormed its way into my head, but this one takes place quiittteee a while after that that one haha
> 
> What unholy mashup of the real world and the Final Fantasy world do these take place in? I honestly don't know. I'm just kind of rolling with whatever my brain tosses at me XD;

“Alright, kids!” Folia calls, clapping her hands. “Who wants to go outside?” The children all cheer, and she smiles. “Alright, then everyone needs to clean up their things first!”

Cloud watches the kids scurry around with a small smile; their excitement is a little contagious. His attention is pulled away when Theo calls, “Dad?” Reflexively, he glances to the door.

The little girl next to Theo starts giggling. “You messed up! You called Mr. Strife ‘Dad!’” she points out.

He frowns at her, confused. “He’s not Mr. Strife…”

 _Oh boy,_ Cloud thinks, taking a deep breath and hurrying over to them to intervene. “Come on guys, let’s put the toys away. It’s time to go outside now,” he reminds them, but neither of the kids are listening.

“I know _you_ call him Mr. Cloud, but that’s not what you’re _‘posed_ to say,” she says.

“That’s okay, Lizzie,” Cloud tries to assure her. They just continue to ignore him.

“No, I _mean_ that’s not his name!” Theo says, fists clenching as he grows more frustrated. “It’s Mr. _Rhodea_ now! And I called him Dad ‘cause he _said_ I could, even though it’s not o—off—”

Cloud sighs and takes a seat on the floor. “Official,” he supplies, rubbing his temples. He supposes being able to avoid explaining all this to the kids for a while longer was too much to hope for after all.

“Yeah, even though it’s not _official_ yet!” Cloud restrains a laugh; he can tell that Theo’s struggling very hard to remain on his best behavior and not stick his tongue out at Lizzie.

Her eyes narrow as she tries to puzzle this out, glancing back and forth between the two of them. Finally, they light up with realization and she gasps. “Oh my gosh, Mr. Str—Rhodea, did you marry Theo’s daddy?!” Cloud nods, painfully aware of the fact that every set of eyes in the room has just turned to him.

“Yep!” Theo says proudly. “It was awesome! I got to be the ring bearer, and… Well, then it was really boring for a while and this old guy talked a lot. But then there was lots of food and silly dancing! And I met Marlene—she was the flower girl, she’s Dad’s… friend’s… daughter—and this lady with really pretty hair named Tifa! And this weekend we’re gonna go to this place to start the papers for Dad to adopt me for real!”

By now, everyone is gathered around them, and Cloud’s almost disappointed when Theo stops yammering. Better for the kid to tell the story than him, anyways. “ _Adopt?!_ ” one of the girls screeches, horrified.

Cloud cringes. _Here it comes._ He tries to remind himself that whatever bigotry these kids spew, it’s only because their parents have talked that way and they don’t know any better. That doesn’t mean it won’t hurt, though. He’s known some of them for a few years now; they might as well be his second family.

“But Theo’s daddy isn’t _dead,_ is he?! You _can_ _’t_ adopt him!” she continues. Cloud blinks at her in surprise and confusion, then eventually turns to Folia for help.

She sighs and comes over to join them, sitting on the floor a few feet away. “Andrea’s still alive, Molana,” she promises, before explaining patiently, “But since they got married, Cloud’s going to be part of their family now, too. Theo will have two daddies, just like you have a mommy and a daddy.”

Molana’s face scrunches in confusion. “Okay…” she says after a minute, though she obviously still doesn’t understand. Folia shrugs at Cloud when she turns away, a silent, _I tried._

Evan’s leaning over to peer closely at Cloud’s hand where it rests on the table, and he has to resist the urge to jerk away in surprise when he notices. “But if you got married, then where’s your ring, Mr.—Mr. Cloud?”

He chuckles. It seems like that name’s going to get a lot more use until the kids get over their confusion. He tugs gently at the chain around his neck, pulling it out from under his shirt and holding up the ring dangling from it so they can see. “Right here.”

“That’s not how you’re supposed to wear your wedding ring,” one of the girls says, looking at him like he’s stupid.

“Yeah, well, I spend so much time chasing after all you little _monsters—_ ” Cloud says, pausing to reach out and tickle her for a moment, making her screech with laughter, “—that I wanted to make sure it wouldn’t fall off and get lost!”

“That makes sense,” an older girl says, and a few others nod along.

The kids fall silent for a minute, and he looks around to get a gauge on their reactions. Some still look confused, while others are bored or thoughtful or excited. “Anyone have any other questions?” Cloud asks reluctantly. _Might as well get it all out at once._

The children all glance around at each other, and one girl speaks up hesitantly. “So, um… Was Theo right? Should we call you Mr. Rhodea now? Because I think… I… might get confused,” she gets quieter and quieter as she goes, eyes eventually dropping to the ground in embarrassment.

Cloud gives her a small smile. “You can call me whatever you want, Kam, whether that’s Cloud or Mr. Rhodea or Mr. Strife. That goes for all of you,” he clarifies, glancing around at each of them.

“Then can I call you a Chocobo?” Markus asks with a mischievous grin.

Cloud turns on him, eyes narrowed. “Hey now, I’m trying to be serious here! None of that, or _you_ _’ll_ be the next one to get tickled!” he says, waggling his fingers threateningly. Markus shrieks and scoots himself backwards a few feet. “Anybody else have any questions?” They all shake their heads, and he lets out a small sigh of relief. “Okay, then back to clean up!”

They groan as they get to their feet, but start moving a little faster when Folia reminds them that they’ll get to go run around once they’re done. “You alright?” she asks him quietly, resting a hand on his shoulder.

He nods. “Yeah, I knew this would happen sooner or later. Just didn’t expect it to be quite _this_ soon.”

“Well, at least none of them responded too badly.”

Clouds sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Yeah. Now I just have to wait and see what happens _tomorrow_ , after they all go home and tell their _parents_ all about it.”

Folia’s eyes harden. “Oh believe me, if any of them try to start something, I’ll make it very clear that I don’t tolerate bullying here—from children _or_ parents.”

“Thanks, Folia, but I can handle whatever they throw at me. I’m a big boy,” he jokes.

“I know you can. But that doesn’t mean you should _have_ to! If they wanna start shit, then they can go somewhere else, because I’m not allowing it here.”

“Little ears,” Cloud reminds her absently. “…Thanks. Just… don’t go out of your way, okay? I don’t want you to lose business over this.”

“If there is _anything_ worth losing business over, then it’s this. You’re one of mine now, Cloud, whether you like it or not. You know that, right?”

“…Yeah. Yeah, I know,” he says with a wavering smile, and when she hugs him, he hugs back twice as hard.

“Good. As long as we’re clear.”

* * *

Andrea comes to pick up his son an hour before closing, as usual, and Cloud goes outside to greet him with a quick kiss. Then he squats down and pulls Theo into a hug. The boy clings to his back and sniffles, and Cloud pulls away to look at his face. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asks, worried.

Theo shakes his head and buries his face in Cloud’s shirt. “Nothing.”

“I don’t think it’s ‘nothing’ if it made you cry…”

“Doesn’t matter,” he says stubbornly.

Andrea leans down to ruffle his hair and chuckles. Quietly, he says, “I think he’s just going to miss you. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”

Theo hesitates for a long moment before nodding, and Cloud wraps his arms around him again. “Oh, kiddo… Hey, it won’t be that long. I’ll be there before you know it, promise.”

“…Okay,” he agrees eventually, pulling away to wipe the tears off his cheeks. “How long’ll it be?”

“Only another hour or so. No time at all!”

“Okay,” Theo says again, not meeting Cloud’s eyes. He reaches for Andrea’s hand. “See you then.”

Andrea pulls Cloud in for another kiss and squeezes his hand reassuringly. “See you at home, darling.”

“Yeah.” They turn away, and Cloud heads back inside. He pauses at the window, watching them walk down the drive, until Folia appears at his side.

“Well, go on, then.”

“Huh?”

She makes shooing motions at him. “Go follow them before it’s too late to catch up!”

“But I still have—”

“Lizzie’s the only one who hasn’t been picked up yet; I can handle her until her mom gets here.” Folia pauses, giving him a serious look. “Not that this is gonna be an everyday thing. But if you were anyone _sane_ , you’d probably still be on your honeymoon, and the world isn’t gonna end if you leave an hour early. So go. Be with your family.”

Cloud stares at her for a long moment before nodding. He ducks into the tiny backroom to grab his things, and pulls her into a hug on the way out. “Thanks, Folia,” he says, and then he's out the door and jogging to catch up with Andrea and Theo. He slows down when he gets closer, sneaking up to scoop Theo into his arms. His son falls into a giggle fit, clinging to his neck, and his husband smiles and hooks him in closer with an arm around his waist. Cloud rests his head on his shoulder.

It feels like home, finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the number of freaking times that, as a kid, I had to explain that yes, I'm adopted, and yes, my parents are still alive and I still live with my birth mother XD


	6. Day Six: Firsts | Fight

Their first meeting is a blur of lights and movement and color in Cloud’s mind. The only parts that he can remember clearly are the way his heart raced while they danced, Andrea’s last words to him, and the breathlessly still moment when he’d stared into Cloud’s eyes and called him perfect.

Andrea, on the other hand, can picture every second of the night perfectly and has never been more grateful for his excellent memory.

* * *

Their first date is a complete mess. Cloud makes the mistake of bringing his sword into the restaurant, and even with it sheathed, he nearly knocks over a table every time he turns around in the small walkways. Andrea knocks over the candle on their table when he reaches for Cloud’s hand, and they’re both left frantically dumping their water glasses on the burning tablecloth to try and put out the fire. They’re chased out of the restaurant with threats of what will happen if they ever return, and Andrea apologizes profusely to both the owner and Cloud, his face bright red.

But after they leave and the adrenaline wears off, Cloud _laughs_ , until he’s doubled over with tears in his eyes. When he finally manages to catch his breath, he’s left in shock; he can’t remember the last time he laughed so hard.

(Obviously _something_ went right during their disaster of a date, so they give it a second shot. They both learn their lessons and the next attempt goes much smoother.)

* * *

Because they’re doomed to the most awkward courtship of all time (Andrea’s words, much, much later), their first kiss is just as embarrassing as their first date.

For a lot of reasons, it takes a long time to get to that point. But when they finally do, it starts out fine. Perfect, even. Cloud would be amazed, if he was actually thinking. In the time they’ve been together, _nothing_ has been this easy.

Which is, of course, why it suddenly goes horribly wrong. Neither of them hear Marlene enter the room until she lets out a sudden screech, making them jerk apart. Cloud stares at her with absolutely no idea what to say, but it doesn’t really matter, because Tifa comes skidding into the room just a few seconds later.

“Marlene?” she asks, panic written all over her face. “Are you okay?!” Marlene doesn’t answer, but it quickly becomes apparent that there’s no imminent danger. Tifa glances from the girl, covering her eyes and blushing cheeks, to Cloud and Andrea, sitting at the bar and looking like a couple of teenagers caught red-handed doing something they shouldn’t have. She lets out a loud laugh and picks Marlene up. “It’s okay,” she says, prying her hands away from her face. “Let’s just go back and give the boys their alone time, hmm?” She winks at them and heads toward the backroom again, Marlene’s embarrassed squeak seeming to echo behind them.

“Well, that was…” Andrea starts.

Cloud drops his head into his hands. He doesn’t even want to know how that sentence ends. “Yeah.”

* * *

The first time they sleep together, it’s just that: sleeping, squished together on the bed in the corner of Cloud’s tiny apartment. It’s one of the most uncomfortable nights he’s ever had (excluding nights spent on the road or in a tent, of course).

It’s also probably the best sleep he’s ever had, and he lets himself indulge and stay curled up in bed for hours after waking up, content to watch the sun crawl slowly across his floor through the slats in the blinds and wait for Andrea to awaken.

* * *

Their first big fight is explosive in the quietest way possible.

Andrea shuts down in a way Cloud’s never seen before, smile dropping and eyes going cold. Cloud just turns on his heel and walks away.

They don’t say a word to each other for three weeks. They hardly say a word to _anyone_ , though their friends fret and throw each other worried glances that they pretend not to notice. The one thing they’ve always had in common is that they’re workaholics, so they both throw themselves back into their jobs so hard they don’t have the energy to think about anything else.

Aerith drags Cloud back to Wall Market with some weak excuse he can’t even remember about needing to buy something there, as if she hadn’t spent most of her life avoiding the place. He keeps his eyes straight ahead and says nothing, even though he feels sick to his stomach when they pass the alley that leads to the Honeybee Inn.

* * *

The first time they make up is quiet too, whispered apologies and short kisses and hands squeezed together so tightly it hurts. They sit curled up in their own bubble in the corner of the room and don’t say anything more for a long time.

* * *

(The crushing sense of relief and desire to never let him go again also makes that night the first time Cloud realizes he’s in love with Andrea.)

* * *

The first time they have sex, Cloud is the first to make a move, which surprises both of them.

They take it slow, and it feels like that peaceful morning spent in bed, except for how his heart rate is soaring so high it leaves him dizzy. Afterward, he apologizes for the scratches left on Andrea’s body by trailing soft kisses over them. Andrea let’s it go on for a minute or two before dragging Cloud back up to his lips, and they make out lazily until they fall asleep still tangled together.

* * *

Cloud’s first time meeting Andrea’s family isn’t nearly as terrifying as he expects. After all, he already knows that the Honeygirls and boys are more family to Andrea than his parents are, and he’s already gotten _their_ approval long ago. Still, he’s on his best behavior, which his boyfriend teases him about later.

“I couldn’t read them at all,” he admits nervously. “I have no idea what they thought of me.”

Andrea shrugs like it doesn’t matter, but from the tension he’s been holding in his shoulders all evening, it obviously does. “I think they liked you about as much as they could’ve possibly liked any man I brought home,” he says, with an almost unnoticeable emphasis on ‘man.’

(For just a moment, Cloud’s heart aches—for Andrea, and for himself. He wishes he could bring him back to meet his mother; for all that she nagged him about settling down with a good girl, he knows she would’ve loved Andrea and doted on him like he was already her son-in-law.)

* * *

The first time Cloud works up the nerve to tell Andrea he loves him, it’s when he’s badly injured after taking down a particularly tough monster, and Andrea’s patching him up with magic and medicine alike.

Andrea stays silent but scolds him for it afterward, when he’s more or less healed. “I can’t believe you pulled that shit!” he says, jaw clenched. “You don’t get to be the person who says ‘I love you’ because you’re _dying_ and scare the shit out of me!”

Cloud blinks at him in confusion, then looks away as understanding dawns, shamefaced. “That wasn’t why,” he argues quietly. He absently rubs at the bandages covering most of his torso and continues, “I said it because I _didn_ _’t_ die, because I was relieved that I made it back and it wasn’t too late to say it.”

Andrea stares at him for a long moment before his face crumples. He steps forward and hugs Cloud around the shoulders, careful to avoid his injuries. “Oh honey,” he whispers, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “I love you too, if that wasn’t already painfully obvious.” If Cloud feels tears dripping into his hair, he doesn’t mention it.

* * *

Their first anniversary nearly comes and goes without either of them noticing, but their friends not-so-subtly shuffle them into Seventh Heaven, which they’ve spent the day transforming into as romantic of a date spot as they can manage, complete with flowers and a candlelit dinner.

They laugh about the fact that their friends remembered when they didn’t, and nobody starts a fire.

* * *

Their first dance at their wedding is, quite literally, their _first_ dance. Their guests are all left incredibly confused, except for Aerith, who recognizes it and grins from ear to ear the whole time. They sit down afterward, and Cloud’s too busy trying to catch his breath to notice when Andrea’s parents walk up. “Congratulations, sweetheart,” his mother says softly, and Cloud head jerks up at the sound of her voice, just in time to see her hug her son tightly and kiss his cheek. She sounds like she means it when she says, “I’m so happy for you.” His father says nothing, but nods to them both in acknowledgment and sets their wedding gift on the table. Andrea’s lower lip trembles as they walk away, and he bites down hard on it. Cloud leans into him and rubs his back until he relaxes again.

Aerith takes the seat next to Cloud a while later. He feels her heels knock against his feet as she kicks them off under the table, and she puts a finger to her lips when he laughs. “That was a fun idea for the first dance... even if nobody really understood what was happening,” she says, grinning. “I guess everything came around full circle, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Cloud agrees, reaching for Andrea’s hand to squeeze it. “It’s just another beginning.”


	7. Day Seven: Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it's already the last day of Rhife Week! :(
> 
> (Not that it makes much of a difference here, to be honest. I'll still be working on Dancing Queen, and I may or may not be slowly turning the daycare AU into it's own thing. And I've got two other AUs that I've jotted down some bits of, though they're very silly and I don't know whether they'll ever see the light of day lol)
> 
> The prompts were Loss and Future, and I decided to go with Future because... Well, because my original idea was pretty angsty and I didn't want to leave off the week on a sad note.

So many people spend their lives with their minds stuck in the past, chained there by regrets or nostalgia. Cloud’s, on the other hand, has always been stuck solidly in the future. Even as a child, he was constantly hooked by thoughts of what he wanted to someday do or become, how he’d get out of his little hometown and join SOLDIER and become a hero who could protect people and keep his promise to Tifa. (When he _does_ start slipping into memories, he pushes them firmly out of his mind. There’s too much pain there, and he has the strangest feeling that if he examines the past too closely it might just crumble to pieces.)

So really, he should have known that would extend to relationships, too.

When he stumbles headfirst into a relationship with Andrea, they both expect it to be difficult. Cloud’s self-aware enough to know that he’s built walls a mile high around himself, and even those rare people he lets in are still kept at arm’s length. Andrea might have the determination to climb those walls, but logically, it should take a lot of time and effort, if they can even hold themselves together long enough for that.

It doesn’t.

In reality, it’s all too easy for Cloud to fall hard and fast, and it leaves him even more breathless _because_ he didn’t expect it. He catches himself drifting into daydreams of the future all too often. (Or somebody else catches him, like the time that Barret found him spaced out with what must have been an incredibly stupid look on his face and laughed at him for acting like a teenage girl. Cloud very politely told him to fuck off.) He tries not to let it show, but every once in a while something slips from his tongue that makes him want to bite it off. Andrea always looks surprised when it happens, but he lets it go without comment half of the time. The other half, he indulges Cloud too much and runs miles with whatever ridiculous thing he’s said. (It’s terrible for Cloud’s health. He already feels like he’s on the verge of a heart attack every time he’s with Andrea even without him turning Cloud’s absent-minded mention of children into an hour-long discussion of what their kids would look like if they could have them. He’s pretty sure Andrea’s _trying_ to kill him at this point.)

Cloud’s friends throw him a surprise party on his birthday, and it’s equal parts mortifying and fun. The only thing he remembers clearly later, though, is Andrea eying him thoughtfully before raising his glass and saying with a meaningful expression, “To the future.”

Cloud stares back for longer than is probably normal. Then he swallows hard and downs his drink with an echoed agreement.

“To the future.”


End file.
